Forest to Pomodoro Timer: The Best Free Android Apps to Help You Manage Your Time Better
In this fast-paced world, one can often find it difficult to focus on work. This is where productivity apps come into play. From managing your schedule to scheduling meetings and taking notes, these apps are focused on increasing your daily productivity and making your life easier. But everyone is different and there is no app that can meet everyone’s needs. If you launch the Google Play Store on Android and head over to the ‘Productivity’ section, you’ll find a number of options, and figuring out which one suits your needs can lead to more unnecessary scrolling. Here we will list some of the best productivity apps that can help you be more productive and save time.
Forest: Stay focused
If you’re someone who ends up checking your phone for new messages and notifications every few minutes while working, Forest might be one of the best apps you’ll ever come across. Focused on eliminating digital distractions and rebuilding your attention span, Forest is very easy to use. When you start working and don’t want to be distracted, just launch the app and your phone will go into a lock mode where you can’t open other apps. The app will also plant a virtual tree that grows when you’re not using your phone.
However, it will die when you exit the app. Over time, users will also be able to grow their own forest, which represents your commitment to not using your phone. Foresters can also earn rewards by staying focused, which will help them unlock more trees.
Forest is free to download in the Google Play Store. (Image source: Google Play Store)
Forest comes with a timer and a stopwatch functionality that users can adjust according to their needs. You can also see your daily, weekly or monthly progress and gain insight into your focus habits.
Although the app is free to use, activating the Pro version will give you access to several useful features such as the ability to set up a custom approval list, which allows you to use certain apps without killing the tree. The Pro version of Forest also allows users to categorize tasks using tags and track phone and screen time.
Pomodoro timer
Pomodoro is a popular time management technique that helps you increase your productivity by working in 25-minute focused work sessions with a few short breaks. While there are several Pomodoro timers available in the Google Play Store, one of the best apps is Pomodoro Timer by AppFX.
Pomodoro is one of the most effective time management techniques. (Image source: Google Play Store)
It has a minimalist interface complimented by matte and flat colors to help you reduce distractions and focus on your work. You can also easily adjust the Pomodoro timer and the short and long breaks you want to take and set daily goals.
Todoist: to-do list and planner
Todoist is one of the most popular task planner and to-do list apps available on the Google Play Store. Users can quickly add tasks using the ‘Quick Add’ button. You can also set recurring tasks such as ‘Water plants’. The Android version of Todoist is available on multiple platforms and has some really useful widgets with the app that can connect to several other services like calendars, voice assistants, and popular apps like Gmail and Slack.
You can also track your goals and habits. (Image source: Google Play Store)
If you are someone who manages projects, the app templates that can help you with accounting tasks, meeting agendas and even wedding planning. Users can also pin the tasks they want to focus on the most and get personalized insights into the task scheduler and productivity trends.
Section graph: Day and time planner
Sectograph is a day and time planner that can help you manage time. But unlike other popular time management apps, Sectograph has a unique user interface that visually displays your list of tasks in the form of a 12-hour pie chart.
Sectograph has a very useful home screen widget. (Image source: Google Play Store)
Looking like an analog clock, the scheduler automatically collects events from calendar apps like Google Calendar and divides them into sectors. The app can help you stick to daily schedules, keep track of your work hours and even see check-in, landing and flight duration. If you happen to own a WearOS-powered device, the Sectograph can be used as a watch face.
Habitica: Gamify your tasks
If you want to get things done while having fun, Habitica is a great choice. The app engages users by asking them to create an avatar. When users complete the tasks they add to the app, it rewards them by giving them gold, experience, and items that can be used in the game. Habitifca has several features that can help you save time such as repeating tasks and a flexible habit tracker that allows you to do certain tasks such as drinking water several times a day. You can also use it as a regular to-do list and color-code your tasks for easy identification.
Habitica is a gamified productivity app that rewards you for getting things done (Image source: Google Play Store)
Habitica has a leveling system where you can easily see your overall progress. It also includes collectibles and pets. You can also compete with your friends and connect with other users who share your goals and interests.
